Rotary combustion chamber and turbine with cylindrical baffle



Jan. 11, 1955 c HOWARD 2,699,038

ROTARY COMBUST ION AMBER AND TURBINE ITH CYLIN CAL BAFFLE 'ginal Filed Dec. 13, 1947 III i \"IMN K.IC.HOWARD IN VEN TOR ATTORNEY United States Patent ROTARY COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND TURBINE WITH CYLINDRICAL BAFFLE Kenneth C. Howard, Fort Worth, Tex.

Original application December 13, 1947, Serial No. 791,558, now Patent No. 2,603,947, dated July 22, 1952. Divided and this application February 23, 1952, Serial No. 272,991

1 Claim. (Cl. 6039.35)

This invention relates to rotating continuous combustion type generators and is a division of my copendmg application, Serial Number 791,558, filed December 13, 1947, now Patent No. 2,603,947. Particularly, th c invention has reference to rotary engines having ram air ets arranged for rotation about a central axis.

An object of the invention is to provide a rotating continuous combustion type generator of the referred to class wherein the jet units are arranged whereby the exhaust gases from the same will not interfere with the efficiency of the generator.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherem:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a rotating continuous combustion type generator embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a broken section and side elevation of the generator shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a typical ram jet unit which forms a part of the present invention.

The form of the invention shown includes a tubular shaft 1 supported between a pair of standards 2 mounted on a base 3. A power take-01f, such as a pulley 3 is secured on one end of the shaft 1, and which end is closed by suitable means not shown. Fuel is supplied to the tubular shaft 1 through line 4 connected with a fuel supply tank 5 and with a collar 6 in the end of the shaft 1 opposite the power take-01f 3. A valve 7 may be provided in the line 4 for regulating the amount of fuel thus supplied.

A cylindrical baflle 8 is concentrically mounted around the tubular shaft 1 by means of tubular spokes 9 WhlCh communicate with the interior of said shaft, and which spokes are connected with jet units 10 angularly positioned through the cylindrical baflie. of each unit 10 is positioned within the cylindrical baflle The intake 11 '9 2,699,038 Patented Jan. 11, 1955 8 and has its exhaust 12 outwardly thereof; however, within the spirit and intention of the present invention the units 10 may be arranged with all inlets positioned outwardly of the baflie 8 and with the exhausts 12 positioned on the inside thereof. Each unit 10 is positioned within a plane substantially perpendicular to the tubular shaft 1. As shown in Figure 2, an enlarged hub 13 may be provided between the spokes 9 and the shaft 1 for strengthening the described structure.

The jet unit 10 illustrated in Figure 3 is generally representative of any ram jet and includes, in addition to the inlet 11 and outlet 12, a venturi or throat 14 having a rearwardly directed nozzle 15 therein connected with the inside diameter of its associated spoke 9. Since the jet units per se are well known to the art, the functions of the same are not herein described in detail.

In operation, the cylindrical baflle 8 is initially rotated in a direction indicated by means of an arrow in the left portion of Figure 2, causing the fuel in the shaft 1 to reach the nozzle by means of centrifugal force. When sufiicient air compression and air velocity in the venturi has been attained, the fuel is ignited by means of directing a flame into the rotating baflle 8. The reactionary forces resulting from the jets from the exhausts 12 of the units 10 thus rotate the shaft 1 and the delivery power at the take-off 3.

The present invention is not limited to the construction herein shown and described, but may be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a rotary continuous combustion type generator, a tubular shaft, means supplying fuel to the inside of said shaft, a cylindrical baffle concentrically positioned around said shaft, tubular spokes communicating with and extending from said shaft, relatively short and substantially straight ram air jet units angularly positioned through and secured to said cylindrical baflie, said jet units being secured to and communicating with the outer ends of said spokes, the longitudinal axis of each said jet unit being arranged substantially Within a plane perpendicular with the longitudinal axis of said shaft, said jet units also being arranged with all of their inlets positioned on one side of one surface of said cylindrical bafiie and all outlets positioned on the other side of the other surface of said cylindrical bafiie.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

